Leadership development is up to you
You may work for a great company, one with a superior leadership development program. There may be courses and developmental assignments there for the taking. There may be coaches and mentors ready with good advice. But, in the end, your leadership development is your responsibility.
The good news is that you don’t have to go anywhere special. Opportunities for growth and development are all around you every day. I was reminded of that when I read a Forbes article titled, “10 Ways for New Leaders to Develop Their Leadership Skills.†Here’s the money quote.
“Making time to improve your leadership skills helps everyone on your team do their jobs better. Find a way to weave in time for learning into your day, whether it’s by soliciting feedback, reading a book focused on leadership on your commute, or asking your company to hire a coach.”
Despite the title, this isn’t just for new leaders. Even if you’re a seasoned leader you’ll get some new ideas and be reminded of time-tested truths. Here are two things you can do that will boost your skills without breaking your budget.
Leadership development and the power of the feedback loop
Feedback is essential to development, but it’s not enough. You should get as much meaningful feedback as possible and then . . . then you should reflect on it and change your behavior. Remember feedback is impotent without a link to future action.
Leadership development and reading
Leaders really are readers. And you don’t even need to actually read anymore. There are audiobooks for just about any business title. Reading helps you understand the world of business and primes the pump of creativity.
